Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-11-05
WHO he rs.
An Eastern Estimate of Commas
missioner Sparks.
No- Vol, NF.il ,oa

An Eastern Estimate of Comm,s-
missioner Sparks.
New York Mail and Express.
Land Commissioner Sparks is repor.
ted as intending to resign his Office, and
the announcement is made at the same
time that he thinks that he is of more
importance to the administration than
the administration il to him. On be.
ing shown this announcement Gen.
Sparks not only did not deny that he
was of that mind, but he announced
that he has honestly earned more than
has got.
We do not doubt that Gen. Sparks is
an honest man and that he intends to
do his duty by the country and the
party. The trouble is that his temper
units him for executive duty. He is
hasty, vain, ill-informed and injudic-
Gus. When he was a member of Con.
gress he waa one of the men who went
off ~half-cocked He was. prominent in
every scrimmage in the house and on
one celebrated occasion he began to strip
himself Of his long-skirted coat for the
purpose of engaging in a fist fight with
Greenbacker Weaver, a political sole
cism from Iowa. In fact, he ratified
about in an empty.headed way while he
was a member OF the legislative branch
of the government, never taking the
floor without talking himself into a fit
of rage enough to obscure a Websterian
mind. When his constituents declined
to vote for him any more the House Of
Representatives vas pleased to consider
itself well rid of a nuisance. Sparks
was supposed to be definitely retired
from public life and Congressional pro.
ceedings were more orderly and the de-
bates more sensible by reason of his alb.
sence from the chamber in which he
bad more than once been guilty of an
tics that disgraced it.
1t was with much surprise and re.
greet that persons familiar with his Con.
gsessional record learned that Sparks
was on his way back to Washington to
fill All important executive office. If
his violent temper and irrational habit
of mind disturbed the proceedings of
three hundred or more legislators, what
would not be the result of his presence
in the Land Office, where Re could not
be suppressed? The Commissioner of
the Land Office sees a great many peo-
pie every day, claimants and their coun-
sci, and the representatives o fgreat cor
porations whose relations with the gov.
eminent are very delicate. He ought
to have the manners of a gentleman
and the Temperament OF q Judge.
Sparks has neither qualification. He
has the manners of a brawler and the
temperament ofan u%ngoverned, selt-wil-
led, irascible old party. Since he en-.
tered upon the discharge of his duty he
has borne out his preciously.earned re-
putation. He has treated landowners
and corporations as enimies of the gov
eminent, and has treated the questions
entrusted to him after the fashion OF a
brayo. who has been hired to hit a head.
The head has been somewhat protected
by the Secretary of the Interior, who
has been often called upon to declare
Gen Sparks law bad and his methods
improper.
The doughty Commissioners has had
one personal alteration, and it is in
this way that he has earned the thanks
of the American people. His theory is
that he owns all the public lands, and
that all who are now on them are tres
passing Oh his rights. Although his i'm
mediate superior. Secretary Lamar,
has spent a good deal Of time in sup.
pressing him, he is apparently unable
to rid the office of its incubus. The
testy Sparks pleases the testy Cleveland.
The similarity between the two is great.
Each thinks himself bigger than the
country.
II Sparks wants to do a real service to
the government he will verify the rumor
and resign.
Drunkenness or the Liquor Habit Positively
Cured by administering DR.. Haines'
Golden Specific.
It can be given in acup Of coffee or tea with.